Using Router Keys on a Refreshable Braille Display
Router Key: A Refreshable Braille display utilizes anywhere from 18-40 individual router keys/Braille cells depending on the model. One Braille cell contains 8 small holes representing dots 1, 2, 3, 7, 4, 5, 6, and 8. Small plastic pins push through these holes indicating the location or number of the raised dot. In addition to the Braille dots locate on the Braille cell a round/raised tactile button is located either above/below the Braille cell known as a router key.
Many braille displays have router keys above the Braille cells that you can use to move the cursor. Generally, you press the router key above a particular item in the line of braille to move the VoiceOver cursor or selection to that item.
Pressing a router key over a button (displayed as text on the Braille display i.e. add btn) moves the VoiceOver cursor to that control if the VoiceOver cursor is not already there. If the VoiceOver cursor (dots 7,8) is already on the button, pressing the router key performs the control's default action. For example, to click a button, you could press the router key to move the VoiceOver cursor to the button and then press the router key again to click the button. You would not have to touch the computer's keyboard at all. Similarly, when you're reading or navigating text and you press a router key, the VoiceOver cursor moves to that location in text.
You can also press the router key above a status cell to display an expanded braille description of each dot in the cell. To exit the description, press any other router key.
(link dots 7&8, highlighting, ibeam, and text insertion/deletion)
Router Key: A Refreshable Braille display utilizes anywhere from 18-40 individual router keys/Braille cells depending on the model. One Braille cell contains 8 small holes representing dots 1, 2, 3, 7, 4, 5, 6, and 8. Small plastic pins push through these holes indicating the location or number of the raised dot. In addition to the Braille dots locate on the Braille cell a round/raised tactile button is located either above/below the Braille cell known as a router key.
Many braille displays have router keys above the Braille cells that you can use to move the cursor. Generally, you press the router key above a particular item in the line of braille to move the VoiceOver cursor or selection to that item.
Pressing a router key over a button (displayed as text on the Braille display i.e. add btn) moves the VoiceOver cursor to that control if the VoiceOver cursor is not already there. If the VoiceOver cursor (dots 7,8) is already on the button, pressing the router key performs the control's default action. For example, to click a button, you could press the router key to move the VoiceOver cursor to the button and then press the router key again to click the button. You would not have to touch the computer's keyboard at all. Similarly, when you're reading or navigating text and you press a router key, the VoiceOver cursor moves to that location in text.
You can also press the router key above a status cell to display an expanded braille description of each dot in the cell. To exit the description, press any other router key.
(link dots 7&8, highlighting, ibeam, and text insertion/deletion)
*Apple Lion Manual